Sepang combines extreme heat, possible rain and heavy degradation

The FIA has activated its Heat Hazard protocol for the Grand Prix at Sepang. The official weather service expects a heat index above 31°C during the weekend. Under this regime, drivers must use the cooling system defined by the regulations or compensate for its absence with additional ballast.

Heat will not be the only uncertainty. Formula 1 forecasts a 50% chance of rain on Friday, 40% on Saturday and 30% on Sunday, with track temperatures potentially approaching 54°C during practice.

Tyre degradation could therefore become central. Kimi Antonelli believes a two- or even three-stop strategy is possible. And more than half the grid will be racing at Sepang in Formula 1 for the first time: only ten current drivers have raced there before, while twelve know the circuit only from the simulator.